GOODBYE, GRACIE | A THERAPEUTIC POST FULL OF MY THOUGHTS & FEELINGS AFTER LOSING MY YOUNGEST BUNNY

Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye,

You were bigger than the whole sky,

You were more than just a short time,

And I’ve got a lot to pine about

I’ve got a lot to live without

Taylor Swift – Bigger Than The Whole Sky

I’ve always said that since Day One of creating I’m NOT Disordered back in 2013, the content has been about what I want to publish, what I want to create, and what I – and my mental health – benefit from writing about. So, when I found myself full to the brim of sad thoughts and feelings when my youngest bunny; Gracie, passed away on November 1^st, I immediately thought ‘I’ll write a blog post; that’ll help!’ I fully recognise that it might not ‘do well’ in terms of gaining readers but ultimately, it’s helped me to process these thoughts and feelings massively and that actually feels so much more important and worthy of publishing…

WHY I’M ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED FOR BLOGMAS THIS YEAR!!! | REVEALING THE BRANDING FOR BLOGMAS 2025 | HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2025

“And one has to understand that braveness is not the absence of fear, but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear.”

Paulo Coelho

Having used Halloween the past two years to reveal the fact that I’m creating festive series’ of content (you can read the one announcing Blogmas Unboxed in 2023 here, and the one announcing Blogvember in 2024 is here), it almost felt natural or expected to do it again this year too! So, at the end of this blog post – when I’ve finished talking about all the reasons why I’m terrified to do so – you’ll find the title of this year’s Blogmas series as well as the logo for it! And despite my fear and reluctance, I am really excited to reveal this year’s series (which will be daily content from December 1^st – 25^th) and I sincerely hope you’re all looking forward to it too and that you end up enjoying it because it’s taken a LOT of hard work…

THE ULTIMATE SIGN TO REPORT YOUR TRAUMA: FIVE REASONS WHY I’M GLAD I REPORTED MY RAPE & ABUSE TO THE POLICE & HOW DBT CAN HELP YOU TO REPORT YOUR OWN

It’s a goddamn blaze in the dark,

And you started it,

You started it,

So yeah, it’s a war

It’s the goddamn fight of my life

And you started it

Taylor Swift – Ivy

At first, this blog post was just going to be a post on the blog’s Instagram (@imnotdisordered) but, in all honesty, I found that I had too much to say than would fit on Instagram! So, I wanted to talk through the story behind me reporting my experiences of six months of sexual abuse and – during that time and by the same perpetrator – one instance of rape to the Police and then I’m going to share why I’m so glad that I did that. Reporting crimes like these can be controversial and can lead to a lot of mixed feelings for survivors, but I think one key concern for those who are yet to report their experiences, is that they’ll regret it. So, I want to properly answer the question I’m often asked when people hear that despite reporting the rape to the Police, CPS made the decision not to prosecute him (with the claim that there wasn’t enough evidence) … I have no regrets and – if anything – it’s the exact opposite because the impact reporting the rape and abuse has had on me, has actually given me motivation to encourage others to report their own experiences…

TOP HALLOWEEN ITEMS | IN COLLABORATION WITH AMAZON UK

“Halloween wraps fear in innocence, As though it were a slightly sour sweet. Let terror, then, be turned into a treat.”

Nicholas Gordon

When I began considering themes and angles for content for Halloween this year, I decided to go back through previous Halloween content in my blog’s archives to find inspiration. And found that last October (2024), in collaboration with Pinterest, I published a blog post titled: HALLOWEEN MUST-HAVES | COSTUME ACCESSORIES, HOMEWARE, PARTY BITS, ITEMS FOR PETS, & PINTEREST HOME INSPO (which you can read here) and on looking at the statistics for it, I was extremely surprised to see it had actually been fairly popular. I say that this was surprising because I’m NOT Disordered is very obviously a mental health blog and so when I create and publish content that strays from this theme, I fully expect and prepare for it to not do very well in terms of views. So, why do I do that content regardless of this? Because I actually really enjoy putting together more light-hearted content like wishlists and gift guides and ultimately, this is my blog! So, as a piece of pre-Halloween content (there’ll be another post on the 31^st) I’ve partnered with Amazon UK to bring you this post which will include everything from homeware to costumes to party supplies…

HOW TRAINING, EDUCATION, & RESEARCH HELPED ME TO PREPARE TO WORK AT A HUGE NHS EVENT

"Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning."

Thomas Edison

On a bi-monthly basis, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), host a Service User and Carer Reference Group (which you can read more about on their website; here). For October’s, I attended as a Lived Experience Reporter for the first time and with the idea that I’m NOT Disordered probably has hundreds of readers who attend big events, I have put together this blog post, where I’ll talk through all the ways – emotional and practical – in which I’ve prepared for this NHS event, as well as some advice…